They say they're innocent of any wrong doing.

Their overseers claim they have evidence to the contrary.

Push came to shove on Wednesday, when the Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals officially suspended the Toronto Humane Society as a member after serving a search warrant at the organization's River St. premises on Tuesday.

At issue is the THS's strict policy of not euthanizing animals. Former workers and critics have come forward charging the Society with cruelty, alleging they've let dogs, cats and other creatures suffer in pain and die in their cages to keep that ideal intact.

But the SPCA, which looks after all such animal groups in the province, claims it found four cats in "serious condition" at the shelter, with problems that should have been immediately addressed. The group refused to give specifics, except to say there was an "immediate potential loss of life" if action wasn't taken. 

The suspension means the Toronto organization will no longer be able to investigate cruelty cases.

The allegations first surfaced in a published report and stemmed from claims from former workers who had either left the THS or been fired.

"I went into a facility that had feces on the floor, that had garbage in the corners, that had an odour of urine, that had cat cages piled one on top of the other," asserted Linda McKinnon of the Association for the Reform of the Toronto Humane Society. "Six weeks later, I came back for the annual meeting. The deodorizers were out on the windowsill, the floors had been mopped clean, the garbage had been removed."

They came armed with photos, charging that the THS bullied employees and volunteers to get them to adhere to the organization's very firm line.

"There were a number of incidents with volunteers and foster families and individuals who took in elderly dogs that were terminally ill," adds Julie King. "As that dog was deteriorating and dying they would return it to the shelter. That dog was not euthanized. That dog was left to die."

The OSPCA says it had no choice but to act on the allegations. But the THS believes its proven its case.

"We're confident the OSPCA final report will clear us of any charges. We believe we've been vindicated by the investigation, only a total of four animals they issued orders about," relates spokesman Ian McConachie. "[They were relatively] minor issues."

The entire investigation is expected to last about two weeks.